One of the newer eating establishments to open in Wausau, Townies Grill, is next door to Malarkey’s Pub on Third Street in the heart of downtown.

Walking into Townies, you immediately get the feel of an Irish pub with lots of dark wood on the walls matched by wooden rafters in the ceiling and dark stained tables and chairs. To offset the dark interior is a wall of windows overlooking The 400 Block that offers a wonderful opportunity for people watching while you enjoy your lunch or dinner.

The very obvious hook here is that everything is made from scratch. The menu is small but interesting. Beer and cheese soup made with Bull Falls beer and a Guinness-laced chili are offered, along with a selection of “small plates” that appear to be made for sharing. Buffalo chicken egg rolls, an Amsterdam sampler (ask your server about that one) are offered along with homemade pirogies and a bruschetta sampler. Four salads that all sounded delicious cover the range from Asian-inspired to caprese and a couple of meatier offerings like BLT and flank steak salads. The “big plates” side of the menu is a grouping of eclectic sandwiches running the gamut from open-faced Reuben, shrimp with guacamole and the most popular dish, fish tacos.

My dining companion and I chose the feature of the day, which was a pressed Cuban sandwich with mustard and pickles and a chicken Parmesan sandwich with house-made marinara sauce. We were both very pleased that the offered side dishes included a cup of fresh fruit or grilled vegetables along with the usual french fries. Nice touch!

The Cuban sandwich was indeed pressed down to an almost crunchy consistency. The main component was braised pork, which was accompanied by a few slices of ham and provolone cheese. Two pickle wedges were on the side along with a container of mustard. Sort of a deconstructed Cuban, if you will.

The chicken Parmesan sandwich is listed on the menu as fried, but when asked if it could be a grilled piece of chicken, the kitchen staff was happy to accommodate. That speaks volumes to me, and I appreciate the level of customer service.

The Cuban sandwich was fine, but I would not order it again. The chicken Parm sandwich, on the other hand, was absolutely delicious! The chicken was juicy and nicely seasoned and had just the right amount of the light and totally fresh-tasting marinara sauce. This was topped with some Swiss cheese, which then was topped with a couple of shaved slices of fresh Parmesan. I will definitely be going back to Townies for that one!

We didn’t have enough room for one of the house-made desserts, which all sounded delightfully decadent, so that is another reason for a return trip.

I want to say here that our server, Shannon, was truly exceptional. With that level of service and some delicious menu items, Townies will surely be successful.